


Decaying Fury

by NoNomDePlume



Series: Aither University of Demigods [2]
Category: Cobra Starship, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, The Used
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Demigods, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Greek gods, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Minor Character Death, No Sex, Non-Binary Frank iero, Other, Romance, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22544008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoNomDePlume/pseuds/NoNomDePlume
Summary: Mikey giggled to the ceiling, feeling the now snoring presence beside him shift closer to seek more warmth, more comfort. There were something wet and warm that streak a line down his cheeks and Mikey realized it was tears. He debated the thought of the sleeping figure next to him. Feeling just a bit more broken from how much the world is shitting on them right now. And he felt sick and disgusted with himself for having a momentary thought of leaving. Of leaving this ship before it goes down and kills him.He felt hopeless like their relationship only works cause they depended on each other, but not like how family would depend on each other. But like how an addict would depend on drugs. Like the only reason they were both still here is cause they got hooked on each other not because the other one truly cared but because they feel like they owe the other one something after the hell they received. Mikey personally didn't like Pete just because he's helped with his problems before. But what if that's what Pete thinks of him?
Relationships: Frank Iero/Gerard Way, Mikey Way/Pete Wentz
Series: Aither University of Demigods [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1594054
Kudos: 10





	Decaying Fury

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely based on the Legend of Sisyphus

The crackling thunder sent a light through the otherwise darken room, Brendon's dad was having a field day apparently. It illuminated the small cramped room for a split second. Thunder soon followed the sound accompanied by a loud crash that made Pete jump about a foot in the air. His roommate wasn't supposed to be back yet until at least morning and he shifted a little, a bit unnerved by the sound. Another clash of lightning, this time followed by another roaring thunder sent brightness to the room once again and this time a stark shadow appeared of a tall gangly man.

Now Pete wouldn't say he shrieked at the sight. But there was a noise that he won’t admit came out of his mouth that sounds quite similar to it.

 _Bang_ and another startling light casted the shadow of the man onto the wall behind him, the difference is how the flash of light seemed to capture what the naked eye can see, a large elongated boney wings. Pete eyes widen from the sight.

"Calm the fuck down." A hand shot out of the dark near Pete's face and he thought he was for sure gonna get molested or something, but then the hand went pass him pulling the lamp string switch next to his head. Pete winced with the sudden addition of soft glow shining near his eyes and little Mikey Way's face became visible all scrunched up too by the new found light the lamp brought on.

"Sup." Mikey breathed close to Pete's lips as he grin (or what counts as a grin for Mikey Way) and scooted over Pete so he could squeeze himself between him and the far wall.

Pete was still unmoved from his shock state, only calming down when the warmth of the body next to him finally settled in. Pete unconsciously grab at Mikey's waist. "Fuck Mikes, knock or something next time." Pete grumbled, turning over so he could see Mikey's face better in the somewhat dimly lit room.

Mikey just shrugged and huddled in close. "I couldn't sleep." He mumbled somewhere between Pete's shoulders and the pillow.

And Pete really found the gesture endearing. So he tighten his hold on the other and pull him in. "Tell daddy what happened."

"Ew." Mikey slapped Pete's face away. "I'm going to sleep."

"Wait hey hey hey no...tell me." Pete pleaded, taking things more seriously.

Mikey didn't move but Pete could see the other's back stretching with a small sigh. "Some kid, I don't know...he walked into my room confused asking for some help and I just didn't have the balls to tell him that I can't."

It took Pete a while to realize that Mikey was talking about a _dead_ kid and really, what did Pete expected from the younger Way. The two brothers are rife with conflicts that runs deep inside their minds and they could make any light topic loaded in seconds. "Did you try to help him again?" He asked understandingly.

"No!!" Mikey suddenly burst out; voice still dull but packed with emotion. He turned around all too suddenly and Pete scooted back to make some more room. "Dad wouldn't let me anymore remember?" He whined. Whoever said being a demigod was all that can suck it.

"I'm sorry...that must've suck." Pete had nothing else to say, he couldn't possibly know what the other goes through on a daily basis. Going through like a cheap imitation of the kid from the sixth sense. And sometimes Pete is glad that he has unresolved anger issues from his dad instead of _that_.

Unbeknownst to him though Mikey shared the same sentiment only the opposite. At least his life was straight forward and he doesn't pick fights with some rando drug dealers every other day to blow off steam or whatever excuse Pete uses every time he does it. His boyfriend's a wreck and so is he. And aren't they perfect cause of it?

"Yeah, but I'll deal. People die every day right?" But not when Mikey was around. Really everyone thought that he was some sort of mini god when he came to the campus for the first time. Everyone thought he was one of the big three's kid and it was clear which of the big three. Mikey had a tendency of bringing things that should've passed over, back to life and for a while he was just referred to as the son of Hades and no one bothered to double check with the Gods. Until Hades was called in one day when another kid showed signs of Hades like powers only for the God to claim that he hasn't fathered a child in almost a century now.

Two facts were uncovered that day. First was that Hades was surprisingly the most chill out of the Gods and the less dickish and full of them self. It's not like Hades threaten to kill anyone when he was summoned (like most of the other Gods) he had too many dead people under his care to put a number in early. The second fact is that Mikey Way was _not_ Hades' spawn.

"Who would've thought Thanatos has such a shitty job." Pete muttered and Mikey agreed. Who would want to be a grim reaper really? Sure, the idea of it sounds cool in a 'Supernatural' kind of way but honestly which sane person would actually like to take a person's life? No one, that's for sure.

But Mikey found a loophole in his shitty powers, in that he could intercept a soul before making the journey to the underworld and putting it right back into the vessel. Well he was young and under the impression that that was the kindest thing he could do. So he started doing it with birds that he'd found dead near his house, stray kittens that were abandoned by their mothers that didn’t survive the harsh world all on their own, and Gerard's numerous pets over the years. But one after the other he found that the animals he had brought back came a bit...different than the way it was before.

He didn't take it into account that his powers didn't cover healing and so when he put the spirits back in it's still broken body, he had taken a sum amount of their soul to help repair the physical damage. It broke whatever animal he brought back.

He didn't realize how bad it was though until he had to resurrect one of the kids at his school. They weren't friends or anything but being the geek of the school, Mikey found himself knowing a bunch of people that was viewed just as low as him. There were comrades amongst the unpopular and that was what kept them all sane throughout out high school.

All except one. Mikey just really needed to pee back then and he never really liked to do that at school cause he just doesn't like to pee in front of people. And arguably he could go into one of the stalls but let's face it, men's stalls are gross. So Mikey made his way to the secluded, almost never used, bathroom near the west wing of the school trying to find release for the ever increasing pressure on his bladder.

What he found was something else. A kid bleeding out on the bathroom floor with a jagged cut across his left wrist. And Mikey freaked, started scrambling for the boy’s pulse and not finding any. He should've called for help, do chest compressions, something, but what he did was he searched. He searched with his other eyes to find floating souls around and dragged it back into the dying body.

The kid woke up and the injuries started to heal and for once in his life Mikey found purpose when he hugged the dying kid close to his chest.

That didn't last long. The kid started to look more and more less human as the day pass and it was apparent the light that was once there, even if it was dim before, was not present anymore. He never knew what became of the kid but he was sure it was nothing good.

But not seeing the repercussion of his actions really shielded Mikey from fully pulling back the whole resurrection thing. Plus, that way he could fool himself that the kid got crazy not cause of him but cause of the kid's ever deteriorating mind. It wasn't his fault, it couldn't be. Where was the proof? So he kept doing it well pass high school and into the first term on campus.

And only a few months back he was intercepted from doing it ever again. He only resurrected Frankie after the whole band and it was with his father and several other gods permission and help. Without that then Frankie would be a mindless zombie too, just like all the people he's resurrected he'd turned a blind eye to.

But that was the thing though, being able to see death everywhere and not being able to stop it is agonizing. Especially when it's suicide.

Maybe that's why Mikey sticks so close to Pete. Enduring all the not knowingness of their relationship. And the shaky stability knowing Pete still has Patrick to fall back on. But it was all okay just as long as the scars he was tracing with his finger kept being a scar and not a wound.

"Mikey..." Pete sighed, looking at Mikey small frame being enraptured by the thin lines on his skin. "Go to sleep."

"Sing to me?" Mikey pleaded half-jokingly, knowing Pete has a voice akin to a dying cat.

Pete widen his eyes almost immediately and Mikey giggled.

"Yeah didn't think so, figured your dying cat noises will knock me the fuck out." Pete glared at Mikey who trickled his laughter down until it was just a small smile on his otherwise expressionless face. "Just - cuddle me." And Pete was all too happy to oblige.

*

"Hey you heard about Bert's mom?"

"Why good morning to you also short rat." Mikey said as a greeting to the ever-hyper Frankie.

"Well did you?"

"No Frankie." Mikey sighed stopping in his tracks for the quest towards coffee. Really Frankie should be grateful that Mikey's giving him the time of day, coffee time no less.

"She got sent to the hospital or something..." Frank was saying, coaxing Mikey to walk again as they side stepped from blocking him.

"We're talking bout' his human mom right?" And Frankie rolled their eyes like, duh, but it wasn't Mikey's fault for wanting to be thorough. "Yeah, sue me or whatever." He sped.

"Mikey..." Frankie whined, tugging at the cuffs of his sweater. "Me, Gee, and a bunch of other kids are going to visit - wanna come with?"

Mikey raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you buddy buddy with Bert? Wasn't he the one who took your killer out to stalk you on your date with Gee?" And _wow_ , was that sentence surprisingly loaded.

Frankie flapped their hands around. "Water under the bridge - and besides, his mom was the one who built that mini temple for the school." Frankie skidded in their tracks, blocking Mikey's path yet again. "We wanna do something nice back, you know, a little send off." They shrugged, but Mikey can tell they were holding something back and alright, he'll bite.

"And why oh why would I want to come? I don't know Bert or his mom, wouldn't it be weird?"

Frankie pouted, genuinely pouted. Their brows creasing with the effort to hold back a tiny tempest in their mind. "Alright fine..." They let out in a breath, stomping their feet and huffing like a child. And okay, Mikey could see the adorable attractiveness in Frankie. "Bert requested you, sorta...he wanted you to like guide? - Yes, guide his mother towards...you know. Don't make me say it man."

"Frankie, I'm not a psychopomp, he is." This is the last thing he needs right now. Being around dead and dying things and not being able to save them is genuinely _killing_ him.

"He doesn't have your 'I can see dead people' thing though. Plus your dad can do that soft death thing...I don't know, I didn't pay attention in class. But please." Frankie pleads and Mikey, well he's known for being soft on rare occasions and what can he do faced with a child of Aphrodite literally begging for his help? So he does the next logical step.

"Shit, fine! Fuck-" He sighed. "But you're driving me there."

"Okay cool." Frankie kissed his cheeks and ran away before Mikey could change his mind. "Thanks Mikes."

*

"Pete?"

"I'm here."

Mikey just got back from one of his classes, already fucking beat. He wanted to curl up in bed and maybe not wake up until it's 2050 at least. He was about to do so, obviously wanting to snuggle up next to Pete but the room was shrouded in darkness and there's no lumps that indicates someone is in bed.

Mikey dumped his bag on the floor next to the desk and toe off his shoes. Looking around still confuse on where Pete is.

"Wait, where are you?"

"Here!" This time Mikey heard the voice clearly coming from their small bathroom, just now noticing also the small staticky voice that accompanied Pete's voice. He sighed, reluctant to see what's behind the door but still going through with it by pushing the door that was slightly ajar.

Their room instantly was illuminated with the light that came out of the bathroom. Mikey peaked in and saw Pete in front of the mirror, one hand clutching the sink and the other-

"Pete!" Mikey's hand shot up and grabbed the lighter that was going on a one way course towards Pete's hair.

"What?" Pete grabbed his phone and paused the video, pocketing it. His movement radiating nonchalance whilst Mikey wracked his brain on why Pete was being and idiot.

"What the hell were you trying to do?" He asked, frustration clear in his voice.

Pete smiled, his shining white teeth full on display as he digs out the phone again and replayed the video to Mikey. Mikey refused it at first but then took the phone in curiosity and watched the video that was playing. Turns out it was a video of a girl getting their split ends treated...with fire.

"That's..."

"Brilliant!" Pete cut in happily enough, it sounded off to Mikey. His one hand that wasn't being detained making a fist pumping motion in the air. The action being way to energetic for the situation at hand.

"I was gonna say stupid." Mikey said unamused, letting go of Pete's hand abruptly.

Pete shrugged, making a non-committal noise and still bouncing on his feet with that bright smile of his still present on his face. They stood there for a while, one cocking his hips whilst the other was still bouncing. Pete then move quickly, shot his hand out to grab at the lighter from Mikey's hand and started to b-line the lit thing to his hair again.

"Pete!" Mikey shrieked, hands flailing before stopping Pete again. He was huffing and puffing, feeling light headed as his brain reeled from all the sudden commotion and general weirdness. "What the hell – why’d you do that again?" Mikey looked to Pete's face who still has that smile on, not cracking with any other emotion besides happiness, om the surface at least. Mikey can see the little twitches at the side of those outstretched lips. He found himself feeling like an asshole for being annoyed by it, instead of sadden like he usually would when Pete get likes this. He's just tired of all the world's problem right now.

"I just wanted to try it out, Gods! It looked cool Mikey Way. Mikeeey..." Pete drawled, pleading with his eyes for Mikey to let him.

"What? No. Pete those are professionals, plus they're doing it to someone else. Not to mention the girl's hair is long." Pete cocked his head to the side, still not seeing the problem.

"Pete." Mikey gritted firmly, he took Pete's shoulder in hand and shook it. "You could've burned yourself."

"Oh..." Pete said slowly. And they went silent for a while, Mikey still looking directly into Pete's eyes like he could see his hollowed-out skull where his brain should be if he stared long enough.

Then Pete started giggling, the sound sputtering out in bursts like he couldn't contain it anymore until Pete was full on cracking up. "Mikey...Mikey Way." He teased through his laughter.

Mikey shook his head, hiding the involuntary smile that was starting to form on his lips. He was going insane apparently, just like Pete. "Mikey..." And this time Pete made a silly face that got Mikey to burst. The both of them laughing fully until their eyes are tear stained and the small tight walls were reverberating back their roaring laughter.

Eventually they died down though, laughing coming down to a small chuckle instead. Mikey stopped first. And all too suddenly the air in the room became tensed.

"What happened Pete?" And that came out of left field. Mikey sounded stern; no hint of amusement left in his voice. Pete should've known that Mikey would try and sniff out the problem.

Pete scoffed indignant. "Why does anything have to happen? I just wanted to try the video out that's all." And to someone untrained in The Pete Language they would think that maybe Pete wasn't lying. And Mikey would admit, it was pretty convincing. But Mikey knew Pete enough to know when Pete's lying to himself.

"What happened Pete." He demanded instead of asking this time. And there...Mikey's eyes whipped to the side of Pete's wide stretched lips. It was quivering ever so slightly, the sight of which brought out the sadness in Pete's eyes that was shadowed by false giddiness before.

Mikey should've known, see the shift coming in faster. Everything about them feels like a see saw, if the other one is up then the other is down. It's a constant cycle of never being happy together and only taking turns comforting each other. But once in a while, like times like these, both of them have the same exact down. And none of them are up high in the see saw, It's not fair. Nothing about them ever are. "Did you ran outta your cocktail?" Mikey guessed, because Pete gets this way when he does or...

"No." when it stops working.

"Shit." Mikey whispered to himself.

Pete giggled, an edge of mania to his tone. "I am!" He said too giddily. The way his voice bounces of the tiled wall scares Mikey.

"Tell me what happened." Mikey tried again

Pete grunted angrily and started pacing the room, mood changing yet again. He was huffing his chest and Mikey swore he could see the puffs of smoke coming outta Pete's ears and nose. For a moment Mikey thought that Pete will start punching the walls till the flesh lining his knuckles are raw and kicked all he can see until everything is broken, but Pete only grunted. Mikey didn't flinch, he wasn't afraid of Pete. No matter how many times he likes to scare him off Mikey won't just run. He can't. Somehow, he feels cursed for having two manic person that he loves most in this world. Once in a while he'd fantasized about leaving and never looking back. Why should this be his problems when he got his own? But Gods was he in too deep.

He stepped forward slowly, seeing the burning fire in Pete's eyes. The grunting sound he was making sounded inhuman and maybe it did came from that part of him but Mikey kept inching closer steadily. There was a peak of anger in Pete's eyes before Mikey rest his hands on his cheeks. And the fire there started to die along with Pete crumbling in a heap of bursting tears to the ground.

"Fuck, I was gonna hurt you." Pete said.

"No you weren't." And Mikey will always believe in himself when it comes to that cause Pete was in too deep to. “Tell me what happened." He said for the last time, cutting through Pete's sobs.

Pete lift his head up to look at Mikey, face petulant and begging. But Mikey kept a cool head and stared back with an open expression on his face. "You'll think it's stupid."

And Mikey will admit, that hurt him a little. "Have I ever think that?" There was hidden anger in those words, subtle but present. "Have you ever think that of me?" Because Mikey has some equally shit problems on his own.

"No..."

"No. No!" Mikey cut in, now he was the angry one. Quite a fascinating sight when you have poker face on default 24/7.

"I made my parents fight again." And Mikey's heard the trouble Pete has at home. Knows that his mom has a rocky relationship with his step dad. But Pete always has this delusion that it was him that caused it. Each pain and strive his parents go through. And he always felt bad for having a fight with Mikey because he thought he'd cause that too. Solely him.

"Not everything is your fault Pete." It was a fucked up hubris that Pete has adopted. It's weird to see it being wield this way, because every Ares spawn almost always adopted it in a more stereotypical type of way. With the overconfidence and the narcissism. The selfishness was present in Pete, but it was selfish in terms of thinking that everyone's fucked up problem was somehow caused by him.

"But it is this time." He whined and Mikey scoffed softly.

"You always say that."

"Cause it always is." Pete sighed. "My fault."

"Just because your dad likes to pick fights and pit people against each other for his fucked up amusement, doesn't mean that you do." Mikey said slowly, Pete nodded in answer but Mikey can tell that he doesn't believe it. He needs to get Pete a better cocktail. Which reminds him, "I gotta go to the hospital later to send Bert's mom off, I'm gonna get you a new cocktail, kay?" The section of the hospital that caters to supernatural needs were their best new option since the school's provided demigod health care has proven to not have longevity.

"Okay." Pete sounded tired. _Good_ , Mikey thinks, it won't be hard to put him to bed. "Come on."

They both crawled in bed and stayed there curled against each other, nose touching and breathing the same air. They were calm and soothed, at least for now. The events that had transpired in a few minutes replayed in Mikey's head. It was weird to say the least, they shared laughter, anger, and sadness in mere minutes. Mikey giggled to the ceiling, feeling the now snoring presence beside him shift closer to seek more warmth, more comfort. There were something wet and warm that streak a line down his cheeks and Mikey realized it was tears. He debated the thought of the sleeping figure next to him. Feeling just a bit more broken from how much the world is shitting on them right now. And he felt sick and disgusted with himself for having a momentary thought of leaving. Of leaving this ship before it goes down and kills him. He felt hopeless like their relationship only works cause they depended on each other, but not like how family would depend on each other. But like how an addict would depend on drugs. Like the only reason they were both still here is cause they got hooked on each other not because the other one truly cared but because they feel like they owe the other one something after the hell they received. Mikey personally didn't like Pete just because he's helped with his problems before. But what if that's what Pete thinks of him?

*

"She's not doing too well." Mikey can see that, he doesn't want to see it. Life is hard enough without it, with all the boyfriend problems and power problems...he sounded like a petulant child even to himself. Here Bert's mom is dying and not long now he's going to have to put her to sleep for good and guide her to the afterlife. He used to save people and now...

Gerard sent him a look from across the room, a questioning and understanding glare. Mikey was glad to have a brother like Gerard, the kind that just _knows_ before you have to tell him. Mikey always teased and prod at his brother's sensitive side but deep down Mikey is too. Sensitive. It's small looks like that that lift Mikey up just a bit for knowing at least someone cares. But then again Gerard is his brother, he's practically obligated to stay by Mikey's side. He briefly wonders if everyone he ever cared about cares about him the same way? Absolutely, completely, and not just cause he gave them something. What if he dies today? Would anybody care or would they just move along to find someone new to depend on. Would Pete?

Now he's just being unfair. Pete didn't choose all his baggage and he feels bad for second guessing himself about staying. Even if it is just in a split second. Pete had given him support when he needed it and now Mikey will do the same. And really that's the best that Mikey can hope for. A give and take relationship instead of a true one, whatever that is.

"Mikey." Bert snapped him out of his zoning out. "You okay? You don't have to do it you know." Bert said kindly, understandingly.

It's weird to see the usually rowdy and somewhat of his rockers guy looked so...pale and demure. From what Mikey can remember of him at school anyway, he's the guy who like putting illusions on the teacher so their words go all loopy and the whole bored class will laugh. But now he's just...subdued. That seems to be the theme around here. Mikey's just sorry he's not in a better mood to do this. Who he's sorry for is anyone's guess.

"It's fine, I promised you I'll do it." Bert was actually a pretty cool guy all things considered. The whole hour he's been here, they've talked more in depth with each other. He has a good chemistry with the group. With Gabe usually cracking jokes that'll Bert will bounce off of and create this little break of lighthearted atmosphere to contrast with the somber ones. Frankie, true to their word held no grudge against Bert and showed nothing but kindness and sympathy towards the boy. Gerard didn't adopt the same sentiments though; he still held a bit of a grudge for the guy who almost help his friend kill his partner. The snide remarks he made here and there didn't fall on deaf ears. Funny enough it was the opening for Gabe's jokes usually, since he's not one to take things too seriously. But with all that Gerard sees that Bert was somewhat hurting and so he eased up, sharing a couple of bad decisions he's made himself in the past and laughing about it. Bert would talk about his mistakes and what do you know? It matches Gerard quite a bit.

The hospital visit had turned into a therapy session for a few students of Aither Uni and it was great. A catharsis of bad vibes that usually can either stack up or be let go in situations like these. Where there's a tragedy the whole room can share and dwell on. Mikey just can't believe he's the one given the chord to pull the plug. He feels useless, even with Pete.

"Okay." And there was a resounding yes in the group of people who had visited. They all nodded in understanding and started giving Bert hugs before filing out. Occasions like these shouldn't be viewed by too many.

"Thanks again for doing this." Bert closed the door behind the others and went to pat Mikey on the shoulders. He grabbed the chair Gabe had been sitting on and put it next to his chair beside the hospital bed, he patted the chair for Mikey to sit next to him.

"Sure." He sat quietly.

"You've done this before?" Bert asked. Mikey sensed that the question was quite unnecessary, his whole thing with his father didn't go quietly at school. Everyone who's anyone knows about Mikey's particularly grave ability.

"Of course. I've only ever lead a person to...you know, only o-once. But uhm, I've been told that they feel no pain." That's what his father would say in hopes of making his most favorite son feel better about the whole band. It didn't. He still felt useless.

"So your father? He must like you a lot to not take your gifts away." Mikey's eyes shift lightning fast, cutting through Bert's skull with his stare. "I-I mean, it's juts, Zacky..."

"What about Zacky." Mikey cuts, voice clipped.

"It was his punishment – for the whole Frankie thing...I-I'm sorry I didn't realize it was such a sensitive topic. I just wanted to make small talk." Bert's eyes were wide, the blue there looking like an ocean filled with tears. The color strikingly resembles those who possesses Poseidon's DNA.

With a sigh Mikey relaxed his stance, his spine deflating from it's rigid state. He gets it, he thinks if it was him he'll do the same too. Prolonging. "N-no, it's fine. I guess yeah, my dad still likes me." He'll go along with it. Whatever will ease Bert and his unconscious mother into this. That's all he can do now.

Bert chuckled. "My mom - my other mom, likes me too. She said I have the same crazy eyes as her." He looked towards his mother's sleeping form on the bed. "I wish she's here for this."

Mikey nodded. It was rare for a God to see their offsprings. Usually the ones that are grace with their presence are usually the ones that are favored the most. Or has done something big to the God's liking. Or disliking. Bert must not get much of these nice encounters or much of an encounter at all.

"She said to me once that she loved her." He nodded to his sleeping mother. "But it wasn't enough to make her stay."

Nothing ever has.

"Hecate, right?"

"Yeah...she likes to joke around that one. Likes it when I do something big with the powers she gave me." Mikey hummed and nodded along, understanding his situation.

They were quiet again for a while and Bert had silently shed some of his tears. "Mikey, tell me something –“ And Bert went quiet. A look of regret and questioning glazed over his sad blue eyes. "Your father can stop death too can he?"

Mikey's eyebrows cocked in question but Bert was staring intently at his fingers that were intwined with his mother's sleeping form ones. "Yeah." Mikey finally answered, apprehensively.

"Then I'm sorry."

There was tingle at the back of his neck. The same one he usually gets when something big was about to happen. He was sure most of the demigods out there has this little fight or flight quirk. "For what?" His knuckles were getting white from gripping the chair too much.

"If my mom dies even after I do this, then she'll meet my other mom and it'll be fine." Bert nodded to himself, like he's reassessing a plan that he's made in his head. "But if this works." His voice was breaking of the edges. He stared down Mikey dead in the eyes. "I'm sorry Mikey."

 _Run_. The voice that exploded in his mind was enough of a jolt to the system for Mikey to finally sat up and ran. He pushed through the doors and onto the hallway, bumping into a nurse that was carting a few medical supplies. "Hey!"

"Sorry." He said without even looking back. He was too busy keeping with his toes as he run towards the elevator. Once getting there he pushed the button incessantly like it was going to move it along any faster.

He was bouncing on his feet when the elevator dinged and he slipped himself into the empty chamber right away. He sighed and pressed the floor he needed to go off on. His heartbeat was calming down the more seconds away he was from the situation. The press of his back to the cool metal wall of the elevator felt soothing to him as he started to rethink everything. Was Bert going to do something? His father seemed to think so. But what if there was nothing for him to be afraid of. That he just ran like an idiot away from someone in mourning and in need of help.

The elevator dinged open before he could second guess himself again. He walked out with a calmer mind. If he was wrong then he was wrong, Bert's not forcing him to do anything anyways. He walked to the empty hallway, his boots hitting the linoleum floor and echoing through the empty space.

He could've sworn the place was busier an hour ago. But he shrugged it off and kept walking. And walking.

He didn't seem to remember where to go from where he was. He's turned left four times but he's not even where he started. Come to think of it, coming in, the elevator was near the entrance but it wasn't there when he got off not three minutes ago.

Something was wrong.

His chest started to rise and fall rapidly as the heart inside started to pick up speed again. And Mikey was running. He needed to get out. To prove to himself that this isn't happening. Whatever _this_ is.

He weaved his way left and right through throngs of ever stretching hallways. He turned another left and kept running. This time though, the edge of the hallway never seemed to get any closer. It was like running on a treadmill, never getting where his eyes can see. The edge of the hallway was dark, shrouded in shadows where he can see.

A foot stepped out ever so slowly with a resounding thud as it paces forward. Mikey was freaking out, he kept running, this time on the opposite direction but nothing is happening. _What is happening?_

"What's happening?!" He shouted.

A step. "I'm sorry Mikey." And Mikey was shocked still with the voice. "I'm sorry."

"Bert...Wh-“

"I'm sorry."

*

"And then he said that I needed help. L-like a new cocktail, can you believe that?"

But all he got was a whole lotta groans. Which is fair, since his chat partners are bar patrons who pissed him off enough from that he needed to drag them out and put a few dents in their faces.

"He hasn't been home for a few days..." He panted out, because as much as he likes to think he's a God which was only half true, he's still human. And he's drained both physically and emotionally. "Y'think it's my fault?" He grabbed a guy by the lapel of his jacket and lifted the beaten and bloodied face.

"Ughh." Was all the man said. _Fantastic_.

There was a soft vibration coming from one of his pocket. It took a minute for his exhausted brain to finally catch up as he clawed his phone out. "Hello? Pat?"

"You seen Mikey?"

Here we go. He's going to explain how he fucked up to his best friend and have another person judge him all over again because he can't, for the life of him, lie to his best friend. Not again.

"Look Pat-"

"Gerard can't find him in any of the classes and he can't get a hold of him either." Pete's heart drop. Never have Mikey not answer any of Gerard's calls. Not since that they Gerard almost killed himself over it. Literally.

"Wh-what?"

"Is he with you?" Patrick sounded pressed. Pete's never heard that voice on him since before Mikey. "Pete, is he _with_ you?"

"I –“ Something's wrong. "No."

"Oh fuck Pete..." And Patrick went on a ramble. The staticky voice sounded so far and foreign to his ears. There was this steady and oncoming ring in his ears, filling it up to a brim.

"I-I gotta." He tried, wanting to cut the conversation short. When he was suddenly on the ground.

"Fuck!" He shouted, distantly he heard Patrick's voice shouting his name from wherever his phone fell to. He couldn't exactly concentrate with the body on top of him that was trying to stab him.

"Shit." He halted the hand that almost hit his face, a knife there, the blade an inch away from his eye. He grunted as he kicked the guy off him, but he wasn't free for long as the guy barreled his way towards him once more. Years of fighting experience and God blood on his side making him weave and wave ever so gracefully away from danger. He was too preoccupied with the one guy that was sneering, bloody and broken trying to take him down. Not to mention his ears was still ringing with the news, he was on autopilot, not really completely present. That he didn't hear the body behind him shift as he sway on his feet ready to help his struggling comrade.

And then...

There was no way something so small could ever be the downfall of him. He wasn't Achilles, no he was Pete Wentz son of Ares. And without the ever-present sanity in his mind, he was still better than the best mortal man in fighting. And these guys are small fries.

His body moved as smooth as the wind. He could feel his spine bend to curve around the person's charging body. The tips of his hair grazing the back of his shirt ever so lightly. And Pete could see it all in slow motion. As his eyes lay slowly on the tips of their heel to the curve of the other's spine. Even to the outstretch hand in front of him. The one where he...

There was a distinct squelching noise. The kind movies would play as a sound effect in a black comedy for when someone gets stabbed. But this wasn't a joke. Not to Pete.

With a thud, his first attacker went to the ground. There was absolute ringing silence in all three of their ears. It came as no surprise when the stabber booked it, right out of the alleyway, accidentally dislodging the knife and making a bigger tear in the wound. No doubt trouble will befall him if he didn't run.

Pete was frozen though. He's never seen anyone die before, not like this. If he hadn't caused trouble in the first place then this whole thing wouldn't have happened. And as the man lay on the ground, his body convulsing as buckets of blood poured out of him, Pete took a step back and sobbed. His whole body tearing itself apart as his hand grappled at his hair and scratched at his elbow.

What will become of him? Will his father be mad? Will he go to jail? It was all too much at once. He couldn't even begin to think about where Mikey is. Not wanting to open that can of worm just now. Not that his heart knows that. No, his heart is completely weighed by Mikey and where he is. He just can't help himself.

The guy was puking up blood now. "Oh Gods." Pete groaned as he slip on his own foot and feel to the ground with a thud. Scrambling backwards until his back hit the solid wall. "Fuck."

It felt like hours and hours that he sat there watching the man die...

No really. Hours.

"What?" Pete said through sobs. His eyes were swollen and spent; he couldn't give anymore. And yet, the guy just won’t die.

Pete scramble to his feet once again, hovering above the now still man. Unconscious, but not dead. Not with the raggedy heaving sound the man made every time he drew a large breath. Pete crouched down and looked closer. The wound still present and yet the pooling of blood around the man seems smaller than before.

Pete jumped up, took a step back, then another. He could see that the pool of blood was indeed smaller and getting smaller still. As the open and gaping wound at the man's side sucked in ever so slowly the trickling of blood.

Something is horribly wrong.

"Wh-"

 _Fix this._ A voice boomed in Pete's mind. _Fix this and you shall find your answers._

"Mikey." Was his solemn answer to himself before he booked it towards the last place Mikey went to. Leaving behind the man without a second thought. He was sure he won't be dying today.

Neither will anyone.

*

"Come here as soon as you can." With that Pete hung up with the concern brother of the love of his life as he barges his way into the hospital.

He ignored the calling screams of the desk clerk that asked repeatedly where he was going and what he was doing. He managed just in time to slip inside the closing elevator doors and he sighed in relief. "I'm coming Mikes." Was the last thing he said before barging into Bert's room.

There he found the very culprit, reading a book beside his sleeping mother. Pete was affronted by the sight, so relax and serene like the love of his life isn't missing and Bert had nothing to do with it. "Where is he?" Pete stalked forwards menacingly. He was short sure, but he's more than made up for it through his bloodline and practice. Even the guys at the bar knows that. Not to mention Bert was short too, so the looming presence of Pete did sent fear to Bert's heart. But the latter was equally as good in deceit and it won't be hard to trap such a plagued mind.

"Well I don't know what you're talking about. Didn't Mikey went back?" He tried calmly, still playing the sad and demure boy who was about to lose his mother.

"Oh." Pete said, more angry than anything. "So, you changed your mind then?" He nodded his head towards the dying (but not really) figure.

Bert scoffed. "Yes, I did. Or is that a crime now?"

He sounded so genuinely annoyed by the idea of Pete insinuating that he did something to Mikey. But Pete wasn't swayed. His eyes darted from one corner of the room to the other, hoping he could find some more answers when...

_Is that?_

"That's Mikey's." He pointed at the bag that was left near the foot of the bed.

Bert scramble to sit up but Pete was already there grabbing at the bag and emptying it out.

"O-oh, is that Mikey's? Someone left that here yesterday." But that didn't even sound convincing to even Bert's ears.

With a thunk, something solid and quite heavy fell to the ground. Pete shifted the bag so it wasn't covering his sight and saw a phone. He went to pick it with shaking hands. "He left it with the phone did he?" Pete growled before launching towards Bert.

Bert had anticipated it though. He held his hands out as a ripple started to shift and sway around the room, slowly breaking through the fabric of reality. Everything went black all around them as Pete bounce on the uneven ground. "The hell?"

"Don't you know anything about anything? I swear you Ares' kids are always 'do first think later' – or not at all!"

Pete disregarded the comment and tried to run and tackled Bert to the ground. What he did was tackle air as he fell to a heap on the weirdly wavy ground. "Fuck..." He grunted, going back to his feat ungracefully. Clearly, he wasn't in the room he was in before.

"See." Bert teased, a slight edge of panic to his tone.

 _Open your eyes._ A voice rang in his ears, different than his father's. _Save him_. and something cold enclosed his hands. Metallic in feel as it jingles, the sound so far away and yet so close. And when Pete looked down, he saw nothing in his hands and yet he can feel it as his hands curl and uncurl around the seemingly empty air.

"Where's Mikey, Bert." Pete was angry now, but he was starting to figure it out. He walk in a straight line towards Bert who shifted before disappearing completely.

"What walking towards me will somehow work better than running?" Bert mocked from somewhere behind him, but it was clear there was no confidence in his words.

"Where. Is. He." Pete gritted out, frustrated and scared now that he's seen what Bert can do. How can he beat someone at their own game? For the first time in a long time Pete felt something other than anger, it was fear. Fear of not being able to safe Mikey. He understands now that he's been taking the other for granted, not really listening and overall helping himself to lift off some of the burden that fell onto Mikey's shoulder. he messed up, he knows. What he doesn't want to know is a world where he can't fix it. He needs Mikey to keep the ghost in his mind at bay but more than anything he cares for Mikey, deeply. He's starting to regret not ever showing that more to Mikey. He needs to get Mikey out, he doesn't even care if after this Mikey would break up with him. Just as long as he can get Mikey back.

He's old enough to keep his own monsters to himself. His delusions and hallucination that usually stamp on his and Mikey because it's not real. _It's not real_ , he thinks to himself as he drew a large breath. "Oh." He breathed, calmer now.

"What?" Bert asked, an actual curious tone underlying his mocking one.

Pete didn't answer instead he clenched his fist yet again, feeling the cool metal that he couldn't see. And of course, it made sense, he can't believe how dense he can be sometimes.

"What?!" Bert's voice is more frantic now and Pete look up with a smirk. Bert braced himself waiting for Pete to charge only for Pete to just calmly sit down.

"I'm asleep." He said firmly.

"Oh come on...look around Pete, you're not." Bert scoffed, trying to keep the illusion alive.

"No...you can do illusions, sure, but they're never real and never this big. Which means I'm asleep." he knows this from the many times he's gotten himself fucked up. His mind intangible in anyway, he usually escapes by going inside his own mind and staying at a blank dark space just like this. "And this is my mind." He concluded. "And this is not real." He said.

"It is!" Bert shrieked as he slam his hand down onto the floor as the ripples started to move more erratically. The whole room was shaking and Pete was shaking with it, he held firm though, knowing it's not real.

"It's not real." He whispers to himself again like a calming mantra.

Bert grunted, clearly getting more frustrated. With his hands outstretched high spikes started falling from the ceiling, cracking the ground Pete was sitting on and almost hitting him. Pete's eyes shot open where it almost closed and looked at the thing, his heart racing because even if it isn't real, it sure as hell still is scary.

"Where is he Bert?"

"Urggh." Bert was suddenly in front of him, a gum appearing out of nowhere pointing coolly to his temple. Pete wasn't scared.

"Where is he!" He shouted louder. "Where is he!" And louder again. And again. And again. Bert's hands was shaking as he step backwards from Pete's loud shouting. "Where is he!" Pete shouted until the whole space was bouncing the sound back and forth like a demented echo.

"What are you doing? Stop!" Bert shouted. But his voice was ultimately drowned out. He couldn't think much less do anything about the situation as Pete's voice reverberated in his head.

"Where is he?!"

"Stop!"

And the black room started to crack. A hairline fracture barely noticeable in the dark until it spiderwebbed quickly all around the sides like a clash of lightning in the night sky. Running it's way all the way to the ground. Until...

"Stop!" And like a heavy whiplash, Pete was back in his body. It took him only a second to notice the glowing blue chains that was in his hands before he sprung into action and cuffed Bert with it. Bert didn't do anything to stop it, he was tired from his previous endeavor.

"Now, whe-"

And then Mikey appeared as if out of nowhere somewhere to Pete's left. He looked harrowed and ragged as he step forward on unsteady feet before crashing to the ground.

"Mikey!" Pete ran to his boyfriend's side and hugged the other close to their chest. Shushing and humming a made up melody to sooth the other.

Just then the door burst open to reveal none other than Gerard and his other half. Walking in strides as they all kneel around Mikey's form.

"Fucking what happened?" Gerard asked, eyes wide and panicked. He's been carrying days’ worth of worry from Mikey's disappearance.

"It was Bert. He –“ Flatline. A ringing sound of a heart monitor going dead.

"No." Bert sounded so broken as he watched his mother lifeless body slumped on his seat. His hands still bound in chains. "Mom." His voice cracked on each letter, like the word was so hard for him to say.

"Mom." He pleaded again.

"Don't worry." Mikey coughed out. His body still weak from whatever Bert did to him. But he could still see all the things that had transpired, even the ones that the others couldn't see. "Your mom left with your other mom."

And really, that was the best any of them can hope for. You can't cheat death.

"I'm sorry." And really, they all were. For everything.

*

"Pete?"

The days after everything happened, everyone fell quiet. No one really blame Bert for what he did, even if Pete held a bit of a grudge towards him. Gerard too, Bert really ruined a lot of the people he cared about. But even he understands. Grief can make people do a lot of weird things.

"Yeah?" Pete shifted so he could see Mikey better. Winding his arms around the other's waist and resting his chin in the other's chest.

"My dad gave me something." Mikey held up a pendant, bright blue in color. It reminded him strangely of Bert's eyes.

Pete grabbed it, inspecting it. "What is it?" He finally asked once he gave up on figuring it out on his own.

"It's a token from the Gods." Mikey said so matter-of-fact that Pete's reaction was overwhelming in contrast.

"What, Mikey how did you?"

"It's for you." Mikey thrusted the piece of jewelry towards Pete. And Pete gaped even more at it.

"Wh-what for?" He asked as he gingerly took the priceless gift.

"For saving everyone." Mikey said, his voice sounded proud even through his usual monotone delivery. It was a weird thing to say Pete saved everyone by letting the people that needs to die, well, die. But it did gave the Gods some peace of mind that they don't have to come down and intervene. It gave the underworld most of all some peace of mind. "They say it'll give you some peace of mind." Mikey said, knowing that the Gods gave Pete what he gave them.

"Whoa...what does that mean?" Mikey snickered and leaned forward to give Pete a peck on the lips, who whined when Mikey refused to give him more.

"It means you won't need that cocktail after all." Pete launched himself at Mikey. Refusing the batting hands that came up to his face as he seized it with his own. Slowly he leaned down and captured the other's lips with his own in a sweet and longing kiss.

"Thank you." Mikey scrunched his nose up in confusion.

"I should be thanking you."

"No, thank you. For caring for me even when I'm being...y'know." And Mikey did know. But it was unfair to load it all on Pete. He shared a few problems of his own towards the other, who welcomed his flaws with opened arms.

When under Bert's hold, Mikey really did felt hopeless. Like no one would ever care enough to actually come and get him. Like Pete wouldn't. It was his own doubts and hurricane filled mind that allowed Bert to keep him locked up for as long as he did. But when Pete came bounding through the door Mikey can see the worry in Pete's eyes and for that split-second Mikey knew that Pete does care. That their relationship goes beyond owing the other person for helping them. That Pete does care. And when Mikey was free he felt every single problem that had taken a hold on him for last few days rolled away from his shoulders. Speaking of which.

"I don't really want to resurrect people anymore." Pete quirked an eyebrow and let go of Mikey's wrists as he opted to cover Mikey's body with his own. Listening to the other's steady rhythm thumping in his chest. "I think I wanna be a nurse? Or something." He sighed closing his eyes. "I wanna help people pass like that."

Even if Bert's mom didn't die out of Mikey's guiding hands. He could still see the beauty in passing away peacefully to someone with open arms that could guide them to their next life. Mikey can do that. He wants to do that.

Pete hummed and stare at Mikey's relaxed face. "You look beautiful." Pete blurted out of nowhere and Mikey doesn't say anything. Doesn't tease like he usually would. Doesn't revert the words back playfully. Doesn't bat away at the compliment. Just smile. And Pete thought long and hard on how he had gotten so lucky and how wrong he was for doubting that fact. He leaned back, steadying himself on his hands as it crawled it's way up until each are next to Mikey's head. Pete leaned down slowly and kiss the smiling lips with as much passion as he could convey.

"I love you Mikey Way." He whispered to the lips.

"I love you too."

And Mikey felt his body sing with the words as everything fell into place. His second guessing felt light-years away as he found new hope in the horizon. The one that promises not perfection but understanding. All etched in the smile of Pete's eyes.


End file.
